Resources

Welcome to the Western Mass Recovery Learning Community

The Western Mass Recovery Learning Community (RLC) supports healing and empowerment for our broader communities and people who have been impacted by psychiatric diagnosis, trauma, extreme states, homelessness, addiction and other life-interrupting challenges through:

Peer-to-peer support & genuine human relationships

Alternative Healing Practices

Learning Opportunities

Advocacy

Essential to our work is recognizing and undoing systemic injustices such as racism, sexism, transphobia and psychiatric oppression.

The RLC is made up of PEOPLE (not places) and is wherever and however YOU and others from the community may choose to connect. Together, we offer a variety of events, workshops, trainings, advocacy and leadership councils, as well as a peer support line, three resource centers (Springfield, Greenfield, and Holyoke) and a Peer Respite in Northampton. Above all else, we create space for anyone who has a genuine interest in taking part in our community and holding its values to share and find connection, information, ideas and opportunities to make change in their own lives and/or the community around them. Our shared experiences and ‘humanness’ are what unite us. Our stories, collective wisdom and strength are what guide us and our community forward.

The Recovery Learning Community (RLC) is a peer-run project providing supports to individuals with lived experience. One of the founding concepts behind the RLC is that human relationships with people are healing, particularly when those people have similar experiences. And so, above all else, the RLC strives to create forums through which human relationships, community and a regional network of supports can develop. On a day-to-day basis, that effort may take the form of a community meeting, a support group, a computer workshop and/or simply offering a safe space where people can communicate with others or simply be. The RLC also acts a clearing house for information about other resources in the community.

The Western Massachusetts Recovery Learning Community is funded, in part, by the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, the United Way of Franklin County, and a variety of private foundations and donations.

On March 27, 2019, Madness Radio released a new podcast featuring the RLC's Director of Training, Caroline Mazel-Carlton, as interviewed by Madness Radio host, Will Hall.

Description: Voice hearers, mystics, visionaries, and mad people are found throughout the scriptures of Judaism. What does Jewish theology have to teach us about madness and psychiatric diagnosis? How can modern Judaism show the way to new responses to extreme and altered states, in our communities and ourselves? Caroline Mazel-Carlton is a survivor of psychiatric crisis diagnosed as psychosis, Director of Training at the Wildflower Alliance – Western Massachusetts Recovery Learning Community, Hearing Voiced and Alternatives to Suicide support group facilitator/trainer, and part of the Jewish Renewal movement studying to be a rabbi .

After several go rounds and surveys and input from lots of different places, we have settled on:

Wildflower Alliance

What is the significance of wild flowers?: Since there beginning of RLC existence, our logo has been a boot with flowers. The boot is worn and torn, and meant to represent the bumps and bruises we experience on our path through life, while the flowers are meant to represent the beauty and growth that are born of that journey. It was created by Janice Sorensen who was a member of the original Guiding Council of Western Mass (formed a couple of years before the RLC was funded), and also worked as the RLC's County Coordinator in Franklin County (among other contributions). Recently, Janice reminded us that the daisies pictured in the boot are actually one of the most popular and well known wild flowers around. So, in some ways, this name represents coming into alignment with our visual representation (logo).

The significance goes beyond just that, though. Wild flowers are also often mistaken for something to be gotten rid of, as weeds. They are misunderstood, and sometimes their beauty is ignored or devalued. Yet, wild flowers are strong, and able to grow and flourish in a variety of places. Some wild flowers (like dandelions, for example), form tremendously strong underground networking systems with their roots, and represent survival even in the most challenging conditions.

Ultimately, for all these reasons, we see wild flowers as being much like ourselves: Sometimes our power, beauty, and wisdom gets overlooked or dismissed. Yet, we remain strong and resilient (able to bounce back from the bad things that happen to us), and through connection with others, we are able to build networks that can help us survive the most difficult storms. Our potential for growth is great, if given a chance.